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Original poster

MP receives abusive emails (from men) for taking mat leave

31 replies

Clymene · 31/05/2020 11:42

Just saw this on the BBC:

MP Siobhan Baillie has received abusive messages from constituents for taking time off to care for her baby.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-52848963

So many men feel that women have no part to play in public life which should be very much structured around men and that women's needs which are different from men's should not be considered or downplayed.

OP posts:
Gronky · 31/05/2020 14:49

The BBC quote and one in the Daily Mail vary. BBC:
"Sadly, as an office, we have received an number of abusive emails, calls and social media posts from constituents in regards to Siobhan's decision to take maternity leave following the birth of her daughter last week."
Daily Mail:
'Sadly, Siobhan has received several such emails along these lines - the vast majority from men - who seem to think the 2010 Equality Act does not apply to a woman because she is an MP.'

It could be (for one, the other or both) poor note taking, deliberate editing of a quote (which seems dodgy) or separate interviews. I did initially think the Mail might have not being presenting what they reported as a direct quote but they do seem to only use single quotation marks.

Original poster
Clymene · 31/05/2020 14:41

And obviously I was being deliberately provocative. Smile

OP posts:
SuperMedium · 31/05/2020 14:35

Childrenofthestones whether the "individuals" who sent the emails were men or were women so entrenched in patriarchy that they'd believe women shouldn't take maternity leave, it's bloody unacceptable that an MP is receiving emails attacking her for taking a measly four weeks maternity leave.

That's barely long enough to physically recover from an average birth (yes, the occasional woman feels fine and is back at work after no time, but far more need several weeks just for the physical recovery and concurrently to establish breastfeeding).

Original poster
Clymene · 31/05/2020 14:27

It does indeed Dido. But in my experience, when journalists talk about people as a group, they tend to mean men. I also think it's fairly unlikely that women would complain about a woman taking a mere 4 weeks off after giving birth.

I'm making an assumption based on the evidence provided.

OP posts:
Childrenofthestones · 31/05/2020 14:25

Yeh but no but....
"Oh bugger" (as OP hurries off to see if they can find proof.)

DidoLamenting · 31/05/2020 13:49

Where does it say the comments were from men? It said "constituents".

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